Standing, sitting, not even looking…..

[skycruiser]

I hate to bring this up, but you shouldn't be watching the fret/finger board anyway. I'm not perfect, but I try to glance down only when making a major shift. And the little side dots are there for a reason. AND...if you start playing out often, you'll eventually end up on dark stages where you can't see the dots anyway. AND...

Good advice. I try to do the same. Muscle memory develops more quickly when you don't cheat.
I have only been playing a few years but I recently stopped sitting to play. Feels weird to me now. I only stand with my practice group and if we ever actually get on a stage I plan to stand. Might as well make it part of practice. I have no problem getting through a 3-hour practice with my group, never sitting once.

 

[Egg250]

I find it easier to play guitar sitting but standing is easier for me to play bass.

Earlier advice (practice how you will perform) is seconded here.

 

[Albert Ross]

Just keep practicing in both seated and standing positions, and after a while you won't notice any difference. My bass hangs a lot lower when I stand, but I don't have issues playing in either position cuz I practiced - and continue to practice- both ways.

 

[KidAmnesia]

Both: play sitting, standing up, moving arround, try hanging your bass at different heights, close your eyes... Gain independence from your body position. It's easier if you do it right from the beggining.

 

[ctmullins]

There's a reason they call it "stand up bass".



Oh wait....

 

[bigjames]

I can do both, but generally stand far more often than sitting...but...I also do not need to look at the fretboard unless I am jumping from say 3rd or 5th up to 11th or higher (for fretless and fretted). I did not practice in the dark (which I think Jeff Berlin was recommending at one time, but I may have that wrong), but I do specifically practice intentionally moving my hand around the fretboard to specific frets without looking. Example. I will play some notes up around 14th fret, then without looking move to the 3rd fret. I can land there consistently pretty much every time. Comes in handy when sight reading music.

 

[mrcbass]

I do gigs standing so I practice in a standing position most of the time. When I do sit, it's on a bar stool - my lap is not a comfortable playing position for me.

-1 on not looking at the fretboard advice. Unless you're site reading, it's really not a big deal to look - so long as you can look at band members at certain moments. That will come when you're ready for it to.

 

[_Some Dude]

I was shocked to say the least when i tryed to stand up and play. I have only been playing for 7 months and my lessons are sitting and i sit at home, sooooo i can see what im doing…..

With all that said, i tryed to stand up, hahahaha WHAT ! I couldn’t do a thing, i couldn’t see the frets, the little dots were visable but i think you know what i mean…

Help me please, do i never sit again and just try to acclimate myself to the natural position of standing, and relearn the few riffs i know

I haven't sat to play since 1996. I now find it difficult to play while seated, but I don't sit to play so it's a non-issue.

If you want to perform while standing, you should practice while standing.

 

[LBS-bass]

In rehearsals I sit on a stool with my butt at the edge so that my arms are in the same position as when I am standing. When I am learning I may sit, but I have been doing this long enough that I can transfer to the proper position. Until you get to that point I suggest you spend time standing in practice.

 

[dave hope]

Im old and standing full weight on my legs gets to me.
So I got one of these. I put it about crouch level, then I lean back on it.
Im in the back and I might look 2 inches shorter, who cares.
Saves on my legs and back

 

[micguy]

I hate to bring this up, but you shouldn't be watching the fret/finger board anyway. I'm not perfect, but I try to glance down only when making a major shift.

If you can see the dots on your fingerboard, whether you're standing or sitting, you're in an unergonomic position. None of my basses have position markers on the fretboard (but they do have side dots). I also think everyone should practice looking at the fretboard less (or not at all). When I've got a set of music memorized, my test is to play the set without looking at all (eyes closed). It's tough to do at first, but after a while, it helps you a lot at gigs - there's a whole world out there beyond your fretboard, and the more you connect with the people in the audience and on stage with you, the better you'll be as a musician. Playing without seeing also develops your muscle memory - fretting positions become automated; when you can hit a fret perfectly, it also helps fretless playing

One of the bands I was in used to practice in the dark here and there - you near more when you can't see anything, and again, it's a test of whether you really know what you're doing. We had a couple gigs where the lights went out on us, and we finished the tune we were playing. Audiences (although it doesn't happen much) are really impressed with that. At my current gigs, I play on a lot of dark stages - the singers get light, but we're pretty far behind them - being able to play without a lot of visual input is really helpful there as well.

 

[jeffb28451]

I got a tip from a teaching pro. Either one is okay (appearances aside), but make sure you have an appropriate height stool and your strap adjusted so that the bass is at the same height in either position. He suggested adjusting the strap to either position where I was most comfortable, then
taking the other position while making sure that the bass maintains the same height and position.

 

[BeMoreFrench]

The last person that asked me to stand up was a blues/rock band leader. It was 6 years ago, then I played in a jazz trio or 4tet with a pianist and drummer, sometimes a percussionist for the 4tet thing. Needless to say, standing up would have looked very awkward as I'd been the only one ! so I was very pleased to... sit again, and never played better in my life, even with an audience.

 

[Jazzdogg]

And in my typical fashion, the same old Katoosie advice - try to have your bass sitting/hanging on you in the same way as much as possible whether you are sitting down or standing up.

That way, when you change between these two positions, the change is the least jarring to your brain. The less difference there is, the easier it will be for you to be consistent.

That's essentially what I do. I keep a separate strap on each bass, adjusted to help keep the bass in the same position relative to my torso and arms, whether standing or sitting. Sometimes, I reposition strap buttons to help.

My greatest challenges have always been consistent intention and self-discipline with respect to posture, body position, etc.; elements over which I have the most personal control.

No two basses hang exactly the same way on my body. But each different bass hangs pretty consistently every time I strap it on.

When I started in '68, I was admonished to practice the same way I would perform, whether in a school orchestra, jazz trio, or rock band. Tailoring my practice to each performance meant I had fewer variables to be concerned with when I arrived to play each gig.

 

[BeMoreFrench]

I find it easier to play guitar sitting but standing is easier for me to play bass.

Earlier advice (practice how you will perform) is seconded here.

Na, perform the exact same way you pratice if you want to get the best version of yourself in front of a crowd.

 

[bassbrad]

Practice playing while standing, it is a different world. Silly as it sounds I used to practice in front of a mirror both to check my playing posture as well as Cool Factor. FWIW I play all my basses on a strap sitting or standing to maintain the same playing position.

 

[Grinderman]

Until you've not only played standing, moving, walking, and sitting but also while laying down, as I have, you may never know what you've been missing.

 

[jtg]

Practice blindfolded, sitting or standing. Or yes, with the lights off. Like you're in a training montage in a kung fu movie.

 

[Swings]

I was shocked to say the least when i tryed to stand up and play. I have only been playing for 7 months and my lessons are sitting and i sit at home, sooooo i can see what im doing…..

With all that said, i tryed to stand up, hahahaha WHAT ! I couldn’t do a thing, i couldn’t see the frets, the little dots were visable but i think you know what i mean…

Help me please, do i never sit again and just try to acclimate myself to the natural position of standing, and relearn the few riffs i know

My advice is that while there is absolutely nothing wrong with sitting and playing bass, it comes with some ergonomic and postural traits that a bass player /shouldn’t/ want to have ingrained. It’s not learning bad habits as much as nuances which will keep you from being versatile. Versatile in this instance means “at ease with standing to rock out live”.

When you start rehearsing with bands you might find that much of your time is spent standing and doing things like arguing, laying out songs, waiting for others to stop futzing around… plenty of time to get used to standing.
When you are playing bass standing you might find it feels easier, that you can move with the music more (translates to playing with passion)

Standing and playing with passion does come with a risk of creating tension and bad habits- the ergonomics of standing need to be smoothed, always be aware. Play with passion, not more MUSCLE.


I hate sitting. Personally. Since getting an offset contour jbass it’s worse, the bass really tends to plant itself to the right of me, i prefer the neck heel in line with my navel.

standing, live, band practice… that is where you learn your bass better, learn that intonation/being in tune is something your ears inform your hands of (not your eyes), and performing standing is where your ergonomics and stance need to be ready to adapt.

 

[Kgveteran]

Ok, my first line of business is practice everyday at least 10min or more. Standing is like going back to day one for me, and since its only been 7 months, thats not far back Lol

I do jam with friends and my drummer buddy made mention i was sitting last time we were in my friends studio
playing

Alright, i get it

i just played the intro to back in black, almost got the quick little riff too Ha!